Intelligent agents provide a means to integrate various manufacturing software applications. The agents are typically executed in a computer-based collaborative environment, referred to as a multi-agent system. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a prototype multi-agent system supporting the integration of manufacturing planning, predictive machining models, ...

Enterprise resource planning ~ERP! was originated in the manufacturing industry. It provides a general working environment for an enterprise to integrate its major business management functions with one single common database so that information can be shared and efficient communications can be achieved between management functions. This paper first briefs the ERP technology, its origin, and it...

We integrate an ordinary planner into a manufacturing system by showing that the assembly trees used by manufacturers can be converted into domain operators and that the operator sequence formed by the planner can be converted into a set of matrices used by the manufacturing system. This allows manufacturers to continue to use their existing representations where possible. We form additional re...

In this paper, we show that the planning and decision-support capabilities of the MPC (Manufacturing Planning and Control) system, which forms the core of any ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) package, may be substantively enhanced by including a Decision Support Module (DSM) as an add-on at the midterm planning level. This DSM, called Advanced Resource Planning (ARP), serves as parameter sett...

The planning and decision support capabilities of the manufacturing planning and control system, which provides the core of any enterprise resource planning package, can be enhanced substantively by the inclusion of a decision support module as an add-on at the midterm planning level. This module, called advanced resource planning (ARP), provides a parameter-setting process, with the ultimate g...

The dream of holonic manufacturing is that fully operational Computer Integrated Manufacturing systems can be installed by merely plugging together manufacturing resources that are each controlled by an individual agent. The functionality of an holonic architecture would supersede and integrate the functionality currently in the islands of automation in Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II) ...

To stay competitive and to fulfill the changing market needs, manufacturing companies have to adapt their manufacturing systems in frequent and short intervals. Hence, changeable and reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMS) are proposed and discussed in a multitude of research publications. While production planning becomes increasingly complex in this context, it has to be reliable and quick...

Past applications of artificial intelligence techniques to shop floor control tasks arc reviewed. In the area of resource allocation in distributed manufacturing D’stems, the issue of resource reconfiguration is identified as a neglected problem. A game theoretic planning model suitable for use in a distributed shop floor control environment is introduced. Autonomous machine controllers consult...